Atlanta Airport (ATL) Georgia

Atlanta’s main Atlanta International Airport, located 8 miles from downtown Atlanta. By the way, locals call it just Hartsfield-Jackson. It’s known as one of the world’s biggest airports, and it takes a leading position in passengers transportation for several years in a row.

Key Statistics:

• Airport Code: ATL
• Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
• Area: 37 square kilometers (14 square miles)
• Passenger Traffic (2023): 110.1 million
• Flights to over 250 cities across 50 countries worldwide.
• Served 100 airlines, encompassing scheduled and charter flights.
• Restaurants and Shops: Over 1,000, featuring national and international brands.

• Hartsfield-Jackson is known an enormous airport in the world, which is visited and used by approximately 100 million people annually. About 300,000 people arrive at ATL daily. It also employs about 60,000 people, making it the biggest employer in Georgia.
• The airport is named after two powerful politicians of Georgia state: William Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.
  – W. Hartsfield was a mayor. Moreover, he was the one who founded ATL in 1925.
  – M. Jackson also served as a mayor of Atlanta. After his death, the airport got the name in his honor.

• Originally Hartsfield-Jackson was used only for domestic transportation, international flights only began to take place here from 1970. Currently, there are 75 international destinations, which are carried out to 50 countries of the world.
• One more interesting fact is that Hartsfield-Jackson airport is constructed right on an abandoned racetrack, previously known as Atlanta Speedway. That is why, once in a year the on one of the five runways an annual race takes place. By the way, all funds raised during the event are directed to the local youth program.
• Moving between terminals, passengers will come across a fascinating exhibition. Hundreds of exhibits can be found thought the terminals. One of the permanent exhibitions refers to the Atlanta history. Works of foreign and local artists and even students are demonstrated there. The main idea of this exhibition is and immerse yourself in this atmosphere and get closer to the art just while moving around the airport.

• ATL occupies a massive area – the airport covers around 200 hectares. The terminal complex alone spans approximately 526,000 square feet and includes 207 entrances and about 200 gates serving both domestic and international flights. With over 260 customer service points, including food courts, shops, and checkpoints, finding a place to eat is never a problem. For detailed information on dining options, visit atlanta airport food.
  

Interesting information about Atlanta

Atlanta is known as the capital of the US state Georgia. Moreover, it is the most populous megacities of that state. It also includes territories of Fulton and DeKalb counties.

Initially, the metropolis was called Terminus. In fact, many years ago, Atlanta was used as the terminus of the state’s great railroad. Over time, several more railroads began to use this city as a point of convergence, which contributed to its development. There were two railways: the Western and the Atlantic. Thus, the city was renamed Atlanta.

Atlanta takes one of the leading positions as the US city with the largest economy. It is known as a place where southern traditions and sophisticated modernism are combined. Atlanta is a modern city with lots of skyscrapers, museums, parks, restaurants, various festivals and events.

By the way, Atlanta has one of the overcrowded airports of the world. Besides the airport, this beautiful city has numerous tourists’ attractions that are worth tourist attention. Here are the top sights that should be on your bucket list: city center, Olympic Park, Atlanta Botanical Garden, The Fox Theatre, Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Museum.

The history of Atlanta Airport

Atlanta International Airport was opened in 1980. However, the history goes back to 1925, when a lease agreement was signed for the abandoned auto race. In accordance with the contract. Mayor Walter Sims was the first one to promote the development of the city as an airfield. It was later renamed Candler Field.

In 1940 the US government announced the transformation of the airport into military aerodrome. During the period of war, its size doubled. Lately, Candler Field was changed for Atlanta Municipal Airport. As the war was over, a few terminals were constructed, but these were still not enough space to place all the airport visitors. That’s why the local authorities started an expansion project of the airport.

It was the greatest construction project in the southern states of the USA under the administration of Maynard Jackson. Incidentally, the airport bears his name and the name of William Berry Hartsfield who contributed the development of the air transportation.